Valve



Aug. 13, 1929. A. A. SNEBOLD 1,724,686

VALVE Fi led Mafoh 21, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ORY valve or in both pipe lines Patented Aug 13, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca'.

VALVE.

Application filed larch 21', 1924. Serial No. 700,743.

My invention is directed to improvements in rotary plug valves, and more particularly in valves of this type provided with a tapered plug and seat.

ile valves embodying my invention may be adapted for a great variety of uses, they have been developed particularly for the handling of thick, heavy pulps, muds, shmes and the like such as are encountered in many metallurgical, chemical and waste d sposal proceses. Valves emplolygd for tips purpose are subject to a num r of special difliculties due to the nature of the fluid, chief among which are the tendency to stick; filling up by the accumulation of solids in the and valve; the abrasive action for periodical disturbance of problems well corrosive action of the fluid; of the solids; the necessity cleaning with a minimum of the system; and other special known to those familiar with to stick or fill up with solids.

ancillary object is to provide a valve construction which can readily be made of materials which will resist chemical attack, abrasionor both, but which will retain suflicient structural strength to insure durabilit and ready operation. In the present state of the art there are only a relatively limited number of materials adapted to resist the chemical action which is encountered in the processes above indicated, particularly the effects of acid or strong alkaline fluids. These resistant materials must be employed either by making therefrom all valve parts exposed tothe fluid, or where the resistant material lacks suflicient structural strength be employed in this manner, by making t e valve parts of material having adequate strength and coating the exposed portions with resistant materials.

The former method, owing to the charac- 30 teristics of the few materials known to be adapted for the purpose, makes it necessary devise a special type of valve which can readily be made from such materials and which will operate satisfactorily in practice when constructed thereof. The latter method demands a construction in which the portions exposed to the fluid may be coated with resistant material by known processes so that to stick the coating will be permanent and can be applied without excessive ex ease. I have evised and disclosed herewit a valve conorming to these uirements.

heretofore indicated, my invention is especially directed to the type of plug 'valve valve; that seat too hard it will stick or jam, while if it isseated loosely a leak between plug and seat Wlll occur. Furthermore, where the'fluid is under pressure, and gets and seat it may have a plug endwi'se, leak.

Springs have heretofore been employed to insure proper seating; but where is under pressure, with a corresponding tendency to leak past the plug, such a spring must be relatively strong. However, this arrangement makes it diflicult to turn the plug, and greatly aggravates the tendency and jam. Others have also employed the fluid in the valve to hold the p ug against its seat; but with this arrangement it is necessary to maintain such pressure when between the plu tendency to force the progressively increasing the ressure of y the valve is turned off, to prevent the leakage that would occur if th to hold the pl ere n important object of my invention therefore is to provide a valve in which a relatively weak spring is combined with fluid pressure to maintain the valve plug firmly seated without preventing easy operation thereof. I furthermore prefer to employa plug having a sharper taper than has eretofore been considered practicable for this t 'eof valve, the angle tween'opposite sides of the plug being between 20 and though preferably 22. This arrangement is highly advantageous in preventing sticking, one of the most serious objections to the tapered plug type of valve; and I have Under certain circumstances it is desir; able to provide lubricatlon for the valve;

and I have disclosed an efiicient and relaform, parts tively cheap construction for this purpose, so arranged that where lubrication is not desired there will be no complicated and unnecessary structure. Furthermore, the lubricant may be forced through conducting channels to reach the desired surface; and such channels may be arranged so that they are never exposed to the fluid in the valve.

If desired the pressure from the feed line may be maintained in the plug when the latter is closed; and I have provided a simple arrangement whereby such pressure is maintained when the plug is in normally closed position, but may be cut off in a sim ple and effective manner if it is desired to cut off completely the feed line as well as the discharge.

Valves employed in the manner indicated must be inspected frequently and cleaned occasionally; and they are often located in relatively inaccessible positions. I therefore have arranged the valve parts so that the interior may be accessible without cutting off or draining the connecting pipe lines, and which may be flushed out with ease. Other objects which I have attained are ready and rapid replacement of parts; simiplicity, strength and ease of manufacture; ready adjustability of spring pressure without opening the valve; and others which will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a central vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 a top plan view, parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is an endwise view of a modified being broken away and shown substantially in central transverse vertical section. p

Fig. 4: is. a top plan view of said modification.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the plug therein; and

Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are diagrammatic horizontal sectional views showing the plug in three positions. a

The form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 includes a valve body 10 having a tapered valve seat 11 formed therein, and provided with outlets 12. In the type shown in said figures three outlets are illustrated, but obviously any usual number of outlets may be employed, arranged in the various ways well known to those skilled in the art. Plug 13 is provided with an annular wall .14 the outside of which is :tapered to fit accurately. on seat 11, and having a relatively large central chamber 15 with an opening 16 adjacent the wider end of the plug. Inthe preferred form shown this opening extends entirely across the end of the plug, so that wall 14 is in effect a frusto-conical tube, which may very readily be constructed from various materials as heretofore indicated, particularly where molds are required. Suitable ports 16 in the plug wall 14 cooperate with the valve body openings connecting with outlets 12 in the usual way.

-A removable closure is provided'in the valve body adjacent the larger end of the plug to permit ready access to the plug interior, and is preferably adapted to permit ready removal of the plug. In the form shown I employ a cover plate 17 extending across an opening in valve body 10 larger than and in line with the large end of plug 13, and removably held in place on the valve body as by screws 18.

The valve stem 19 is preferably carried by the smaller end of the plug, and extends through the valve body in the usual way, a stufling box 20 being employed if desired and for purposes of description and claims bein considered a part of the valve body. VVliiIe any of the usual types of stufling box may be used, I may also employ a longitudinally movable gland 20, held in place by spring 21. The preferred form of construction has been so designed, however, that ordinarily no packing will be necessary.

In the preferred form shown the entire plug and stem are integral, and are so arranged that the unit may be very readily cast and machined.

For holding the plug on its seat I employ a sprin engaging directly or indirect;- ly the valve ody 10 and valve stem 19. A convenient arrangement for this purpose includes a helical spring 21 encirclin the-stem 19, pressing, against the valve body and an abutment on stem 19, such as handle 22.

I also provide means for adjusting the compression .of spring 21, as by threading handle 22 on stem 10; and may employ any usual device such as key 23 in keyway 24 in the handle and keyway 25 in the stem to prevent rotation of the handle on the stem after the spring compression has been adjusted. To obtainadded refinement of adjustment I may provide a plurality of cir-- cumferentially spaced keyway's in one of the cooperating members, as in the stem 19.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 3 to I.

8 inclusive, I have illustrated my invention as applied to includes a somewhat different arrangement of the stem and handle, the stufiing box 'bein omitted. ,In' this arrangement the stem 19 is provided with a'squared shank 30 which fits a corresponding recess in handle 22. The upper part of the stem is threaded to receive a spring pressure adjustment nut 31; and spring 21 bears against the hub of handle 22 and a washer 32 adjustably held in place by the nut. The

a two way valve. This form.

, the valve in open position handle hub may be provided with an annular bearing ridge 33, reducing the frictional enga ement with the valve body. It will be note that with this arrangement the spring pressure is readily and permanently adjustable, and the parts are so arranged that in case the valve should become unseated and liquid should leak past the stem, the opera tor will be afforded material protection against spattering.

For lubricating the valve, if desired, I employ at least one annular lubricant channel in communication with a lubrication feed, and vertical grooves for distributing the lubricant from the channels to the desli ied portions of the plug and seat faces. on the plug and may include an annular channel 34 extending partly or entirely around the upper part of the plug above the ports and communicating wlth a suitable lubricant feed, such as grease cup 35 threaded into a bore in the valve body 10 registering with channel 34. With this arrangement, where lubrication is not desired a plug may be screwed into the bore without detractingfrom the appearance or efiiciency of the valve. Obviously any number of grease cups may be used.

The distributing grooves 36 extend downwardly from channel 34 along thefaces of the plug into proximit with the bottom thereof. These are preferably arranged so that regardless of the plug position they will not be directly exposed to the fluid. This is conveniently accomplished, in the two way plug disclosed, by locating the grooves at opposite sides of the plug immediately adj acent a port therein, and by. providing stop means such as lug 36 on handle 22 cooperating with stops 37 and 38 on the valve body 10 so arranged that in opening and closing the valve grooves 36 will travel over a substantial part of the valve seat but cannot pass the margin of the ports in the valve body.

Numerous obvious modifications in the construction and arrangement of the lubrication parts will be apparent, and come within the scope of my invention.

I may if desired provide means for maintaining within the exerted by the fluid, even when the plug is in closed position. For this purpose I em ploy a pressure port 39 in the plug body on the side adjacent the inlet so arranged that when the plug is in closed position said port will still be in communication with the feed line. This is illustrated in Fig. 6- showin and Fig. 7 which shows the closed position. Complementary pairs of stops 37 38 maybe employed permitting the location of handle 22 on either side of the valve, as may be convenient, and also the location of pressure port 39 adjacent ese channels and grooves may be located pl y at this point, the

plug a seating pressure either opening 12, so that either may be used as inlet.

Where it is desirable to cut the feed line off completely from the valve chamber suitable means permitting rotation of the plug beyond the normal closed position is referably employed. I accomplish this 0 ject very simply by providing an auxiliary stop 38 slightly beyond stop 38 the latter arresting handle 22 when the valve is in closed position, as shown in Fig.7. The top of stop 38 is but slightly above the bottom of lug 36 on the handle; and the latter is arranged so that it may be lifted slightly ainst spring 21 either by sliding the handle hub on square shank 30 or by allowing a slight arrangement be1n such that when the handle is elevated lug 36 will slide over stop 38 and be arrested by stop 38 with the plug in the position shown in Fig. 8, the inlet completely closed. v

It will be noted that in the form shown the plug and valve body walls are in general of uniform thickness, and the portions exposed to the fluid are free from pockets and irregular contours, being almost entirely flat, cylindrical or conical, facilitating the construction of these parts by molding and machining, as well as the coating of the parts with resistant materials.

Furthermore a slight clearance may be provided between the small end of the plug and the valve body, allowing automatic take-up of wear and insuring firm seating of the plug. A similar clearance for the large end'of the plug is also desirable -as it permits the operator to free of sticking without employing any special device or adjustment and without straining the parts, the only operation necessary being to press or tap on the end of stem 19.

In operation the pressure of spring 21 is adjusted to obtain the lightest pressure consistent with freedom from leakage under the particular conditions as to pressure and character of fluid encountered where the valveis used. In case the valve sticks it may be readily freed as already indicated by tapping on or otherwise-depressing stem 19.

or cleaning purposes the valve may be flushed out readily, either through a port or by introducing the Washing fluid in other well-known ways; and by-depressing the valve stem the bearing surfaces of plug and seat may be washed without openin the valve. If desired the valve may be c osed, plate I? removed, and the entire interior of the valve cleaned. Where the lines become filled with solids the plu may be removed by taking off plate 17 an handle 22, giving direct access to the lines; and the plug may readily be repaired manner.

While I have described a preferred form the plug in case or replaced in the same and outlet being both it will be apparent that modifications therein can be made without departing from my invention as defined in the claims. In par-.

ticular, it will be noted thatcertain features of the valve and plug construction may be employed without spring seating means; and that considerable variations in the location and type of spring are possible.

I claim v 1. A valve comprised of a body including a plug seat, wtary tapered plug engaging said seat, the plug having a central chamber extending through the larger end with inlet and outlet ports in the side walls of the plug, an auxiliary pressure inlet located between said ports, and stop means for arresting the rotation of the plug in closed position with the pressure port out of com munication with said pressure line.

2. A valve comprised of a body including a plug seat, a rotary tapered plug engaging said seat, the'plug having a central chamber extending through the larger end with inlet and outlet ports in the side walls of the plug, an auxiliary pressure inlet located between said ports, stop means for arresting the rotation of the plug in closed position with the pressure port in communication with said pressure line, and auxiliary stop means for arresting the rotation of. the plug in closed position with the pressure inlet out of communication with the pressure line, said stop means and auxiliary stop means comprlsing fixed elements on the valve body and a cooperating element on the 1 handle.

3. A valve comprised of a body including a plug seat, a rotary tapered plug engaging the plug; an auxiliary pressure port in said 4 side walls, stop means for arresting the plug in closed position with the pressure ,port

in communication with a pressure line; auxiliary stop means for arresting the rotation of the plug in closed position with the pressure port out of communication with said pressure line; and longitudinal lubricant grooves in the side faces of the plug so located and arranged as to be out of register with inlet, outlet and pressure openings in the valve body when the plug is in closed position engaging either the normal closed position stop or the auxiliarystop.

4. A'valve comprised of a body including a plug seat and a rotary tapered plug engaging said seat, said plug having a central chamber extending through the larger end of. the plug, inlet and outlet ports in the side walls of the plug communicating with suitable inlet and outlet passages in the valve body, and a pressure port in the said wall arranged to communicate with the inlet passage when the valve is in closed position, stop means for arresting the plug rotation with the ports in said closed position; and auxiliary stop means for arresting the rotation of the plug in a second closed osition with the pressure port out of register with said inlet passage.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 7th day of March, 1924.

ALBERT A. SNEBOLD. 

